A Brief Chronicle of War on Elicoor II
by Little Jackie Papercut
Summary: They say that there's a fine line between peace and war, love and hate, sanity and madness, life and death. Albel Nox knows it's a lie. There is no difference. AU, as in, 'Ey, you have been warned that this story contains excessive amounts of Albel.
1. Wicked Youth

Square-Enix owns Star Ocean. I'm just a two-bit hack who writes about it.

Albel hasn't always been the murderous psychopath we know today. His suffering is a point of interest that I couldn't resist delving into. A story about Albel? Preposterous! But you know you enjoy it.

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"Father, are we really going to see that clown again?" whined the boy, hurrying to keep up with the three adults.

His father started to laugh at this. "Now, don't be rude," he told the child. "Adray is as old and dear a friend as Woltar." As he said this, the other man cleared his throat. "Oh, you know what I mean," he added, still chuckling.

His son scoffed at this. "How can soldiers from different countries be friends?"

Woltar spoke up this time. "You speak slander, boy. This is peacetime. Soldiers exist only during war," he said.

"Still, was it necessary to walk the entire distance from Airyglyph to Aquios?" the woman broke in. Her husband simply shrugged, as though it hadn't occurred to him. "What's wrong with walking? It's good exercise, it'll keep us strong."

"If it doesn't break my old bones," Woltar added sarcastically.

The boy continued to grumble, until finally his father stopped walking and turned to him. "Please, calm yourself," he said. "Adray is really quite fond of you. Besides, I heard that cute Zelpher girl was going to be visiting him with her parents today..."

His wife nudged him with a scowl, and the child's expression matched hers. "He's just a child, don't joke like that," she scolded. This seemed to set him laughing again, briefly, but he collected himself quickly and they continued.

After a while of walking along in silence, the four arrived in Peterny. The young boy was overwhelmed by the sounds and smells of the city. Some of the smells made his mouth water. He tried not to say anything, but his stomach began to growl, and he looked up at his father, who began to chuckle once more. "I suppose the trip has built up your appetite, hasn't it?"

Woltar's look was decidedly disapproving. "We can't eat _now,_" he said sternly. "Surely the Lasbards will want to serve their guests, and it would hardly be polite to refuse because we've already eaten."

The father, however, was clearly not listening. As Woltar continued to rant about etiquette, he went to purchase some food for the child and returned immediately. "Here, this should do for now," he said, with a broad grin. The child accepted gratefully, much to Woltar's displeasure.

From Peterny, it wasn't far to Aquios, where Adray dwelt. The moment Woltar had knocked on the door, it was thrown open, and a muscular fellow without a shirt stood before them. "Welcome!" he greeted enthusiastically. "Come in, we've been waiting." As the four stepped inside they saw a small red-haired girl standing behind him, and another girl and her mother sitting in the middle of the room.

"Clair, it's going to be boring around here for a while, so why don't you take Albel and Nel and go do something?" Adray suggested. The seated girl nodded and stood, approaching the boy. With his most apathetic shrug, he followed her. Nel hurried after them as her parents entered the room. "Ah, Glou," greeted the man. "Adray told us you would be coming as well. It's good to see you again."

"Likewise, Nevelle," responded Glou. "It has been too long since we last visited."

"Well, nobody expects you to make the trip every day," Adray assured him. "Come, sit." Glou and his wife took the suggestion, and Adray produced a platter of food, which he placed on a table near the door. Woltar gave Glou a look that could only be interpreted to mean "I told you so".

Out back, Albel and Nel were assessing a large tree, while Clair assessed them. "Adray is nuts," Albel said without looking at the others. Nel glared momentarily. "No he's not. Sir Adray is a good man."

"Heh, whatever," Albel said, and turned his attention to carving something into the bark.

Back inside, Nevelle's expression had become grim. "I have heard there has been tension lately, between our countries and Greeton..." he said hesitantly. "War may not be far behind."

"So do you fear death, then?" inquired Glou, not seeming altogether troubled by the idea.

Nevelle shook his head. "Not at all. I fear killing." The others nodded their agreement. "But, more than that," he continued, "I fear that if war does come, it will not be swift."

They all took a moment to consider the meaning of this. Glou understood almost immediately, and gave a solemn nod.

"Hey, we're not here to get depressed over a war that hasn't even happened yet," Adray interrupted, having produced a deck of cards and begun shuffling while none of the others were watching. "Let's play a game."

Nel looked over at what Albel was carving. "Hey, stop it, Albel. That's just mean," she protested. The boy just snickered in response and continued. "Really, you shouldn't do things like that," she insisted, at which he stuck out his tongue.

Clair laughed at this herself, although she knew without looking what Albel had carved. "Careful, Albel, she might cut it off," she warned. By way of a response, Albel grinned and Nel scowled.

"You're not helping, Clair," Nel informed her.

A few hours passed, and many hands were played. "I fear I never did learn to bluff," Woltar said, mostly to himself, having lost every hand. Nevelle, meanwhile, had done very well, having won more than the other six together. "It's getting late," Glou said, "and I suppose we ought to go."

"Nonsense!" Adray bellowed, in his usual fashion. "I won't have you making such a trip at this time! You must stay the night!" And of course they had no choice but to accept. "That goes for you, as well," he informed the Zelphers.

"Are you certain you have room?" Nevelle asked uncomfortably.

"I have more sense than to offer you a room I don't have," Adray replied flatly. And so it was settled.

This was about the time that the children returned. Nel was yelling at Albel about something, Albel was simply beaming, and Clair was laughing madly. "Did you enjoy yourselves?" Woltar asked them. Albel continued to smile, and Clair continued to laugh; the only answer was Nel's indignant snort.

That night was peaceful and still, and many more such followed. At least in Albel Nox's memories, every night was much the same, calm and restful.

Until the death of Ophelia Nox.

Albel was ten years old when his mother died in childbirth. That day, something changed in Albel and his father. They became more quiet, more withdrawn than before. Glou no longer visited his old friends, and his booming laughter became rare. Albel stopped smiling altogether, as far as anyone else was concerned. Only one person could bring them a glimmer of joy. That person was Peppita.

It was only natural that Albel would become protective of his baby sister. After the first few months, the two were almost never seen without one another. Only Glou was ever able to take her from his sight. Others began to think of the two almost as one being. Still, it was over a year before he allowed anyone else to see him smile.

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This is just a little something I'm trying out. I honestly think there's more potential here than I'm going to be able to get at for various reasons, but it won't stop me from trying. I want to see where this story takes me. I've had a few flashes of inspiration lately, thinking about writing this, and why not? I mean, if it can be written, why not write it?

I'm planning to improve this chapter. A lot. That's going to be my main focus, though I'll continue to write new stuff as well. I need the proper feedback to make this as good as it can possibly be. So, please do review.

Incidentally, this story contains less Adray-bashing than usual. It's unavoidable, as this is supposed to be more serious.


	2. Father

Square-Enix owns Star Ocean. I'm just a two-bit hack who writes about it.

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The Nox family had arrived, as Woltar requested. The two-year-old Peppita clung firmly to her older brother, unfamiliar with this new place. Glou knocked on the door, and a few moments later it was opened.

"You're here," Woltar said. "Good. You've heard?"

Glou nodded, his face rigid, while Albel looked confused. "Heard what?" he demanded. In reply, Woltar motioned them inside. There they found Nel, sitting in a pool of tears.

Albel had never seen her this upset, not once in his life. Carefully he approached, trying to form a question. He wanted to ask, needed to know, what had happened, but he was afraid of the answer, and so he remained silent.

"It was only a matter of time," Woltar said with a heavy sigh. "Nothing I can say will help her now."

Slowly, Albel reached out to comfort the sobbing girl. The motion was wasted, however, as Nel suddenly had her face pressed into his shoulder. The tears continued in a steady stream, until his shirt was completely soaked.

"Why..."

Albel winced at the pain in her voice. In it he imagined the echo of his own, in the weeks and months following his mother's death.

"Why..."

While before he had been hesitant, by now he was completely frozen. His mind went blank, and his body refused to move an inch.

"Why did he... die?" Nel managed to choke out. "Why did they kill him?"

Woltar approached and placed a hand on her head. "Nel, your father was a good man. All his life, he knew..."

Albel didn't hear any more. The words were muffled, and sounded far away. Now he understood. The girl weeping on his shoulder was suffering the same pain he had, hardly two years before. Knowing, he himself began to cry, until finally he supplied the only words that would come.

"It's okay."

It wasn't okay, and he knew it. But he couldn't ignore her sobs. Finally, she began to calm down. A few minutes later, Albel and his father had stepped outside so the situation could be properly explained.

As it turned out, Nevelle Zelpher was no ordinary soldier. He was a spy, who had been on a mission in Greeton when he was discovered. His body was never recovered. It appeared even his own wife and daughter had not been informed that he was a spy until after his death.

Albel wanted to be angry. Angry at the spy, for deceiving his father, and at his father for being deceived. But, as much as he wanted to be angry, Nevelle Zelpher had been a good man, and kind. He did feel a genuine sadness for the man's death. What was more, he felt a great empathy for Nel. They now knew a common pain, a bond of suffering, the loss of a parent.

Perhaps that was why over the next few months, the two became closer, as close as Albel and Peppita.

Perhaps that was why, on the third anniversary of Nevelle's death, Nel broke down, with only Albel to comfort her.

Perhaps that was why Albel held her close, speaking soft words into her ear.

Perhaps that was why she kissed him, and he made no protest.

* * *

Count Woltar answered the door. He knew who was here, though there was no invitation. A six-year-old Peppita came in from the rain, followed by her brother, who looked as though he no longer knew where he was. If they were crying, their rain-soaked faces hid it.

"Albel..."

Nel Zelpher had already arrived. News of Glou Nox's death, saving his son from a dragon's flame, had spread faster than anyone could have imagined. Albel didn't look at her, though. He sat, staring at his damaged arm, an unreadable expression frozen on his face.

"Albel, speak to me," Nel pleaded, moving closer.

He was terrified, because for the first time, he really, truly needed someone.

She was terrified, because for the first time, he pulled away.

That was how everyone knew that it was not okay.

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I hope you've enjoyed this second installment, probing into areas Albel would probably rather leave alone. We now see Albel at the worst point in his life. But we're not done yet. He still has eight years of misfortune before becoming the Albel we know.

I'm probably not going to continue this fic for a while. I have a lot of improvements to make to the first two chapters, and I want to finish some other things first. Rest assured, though, I will come back to it, eventually.

Incidentally, I know I have the story of Nevelle Zelpher's death wrong. I will remind you, you were warned that this was an AU fic. For the purposes of this story, Nevelle was killed in Greeton.


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